Monthly Archives: January 2018

As the month nears its close, I’m excited to bring you a NEW-NEW cover.
We’ve looked at updates of ones you may have been familiar with…but this one is brand new to everyone but the set partners that are in the thick with me.

May 8th Once Upon a Twisted Time will come out, a box set of Twisted Fairy Tales…my contribution is a story titled: Twelve. It’s a take on The 12 Dancing Princesses…and ooooh do I have it twisted. Wanna peek??

Can’t share too much more than that yet…but the cover might give you a clue.

Interested?? Take a chance for less than 1 Benjamin at any of these outlets.
(the Amazon links are coming soon)

I have a very good friend who started writing about the same time I did. He has quite a few completed manuscripts on his shelf, but is as of yet, unpublished. I don’t want to say I’m mentoring him, though he seems to see it as such. I view him as a fellow writer with whom I’m sharing my journey.

I’ve tried to explain the trials, frustrations, and triumphs of writing, editing, and publishing a book. In turn, he’s tried to understand. I know a lot of it went in one ear, and out the other. Now, he’s realizing I wasn’t kidding. His first manuscript has been edited, and he’s finding out what the agonizing process is all about. He’s beginning to understand what I was griping about.

The past few times we’ve spoken, it’s been pretty one-sided. He vents, I listen. Yes, there is a modicum of snickering on my part. I can’t help it. I think back to the aggravation and frustration I went through as I learned about POV’s, and how to apply it to my story. He heard me out, but I knew that he didn’t really get it. He gets it now. LOL I won’t go into the list of over-used words we weed out, searching for different ways to describe the same thing. It’s work; tedious, painstaking work. I also love it. I wish I was in the position to write full time.

I’m still going through my own edits whenever I get a free moment. Lately, there haven’t been many of them. Between work and helping out in the care of my sister, who is currently back in the hospital from complications of a hip replacement, I haven’t been able to come up for air. Hopefully, my sister will recover soon, and life will get back on track. Until then, I do what I can, when I can.

I have some pretty darn awesome friends. Friends I’ve had since Jr. High and High School, friends who I’ve known before I ever thought of publishing anything I wrote, and friends who I’ve met since becoming an author. Some of the common denominators is that they are all supportive, they are real, and they aren’t the type of people who are your friend until someone new comes along. I love that each and everyone of them comes from a different walk of life, but what connected us in the first place was our love of of something. Whether it was for an activity we participated in during our younger school days, or sitting on the floor of our dorm rooms talking and laughing as we learned to be self-sufficient without the watchful eyes of our parents making sure we didn’t fall, or through our love of books and the characters within.

Sometimes, I get so wrapped up in getting the next story on the page and into promoting the books I have out, I feel like I’m neglecting those friendships. There’s a certain amount of guilt that comes with that, and I’m so very lucky that as I travel down this road of being an author, those friends who aren’t a part of the publishing world have stuck with me…and even cheer me on.

There’s a song I learned when I was a Brownie/Girl Scout. It’s one of the few that I remember:

Make new friends,
but keep the old.
One is silver,
the other is gold.
A circle is round,
it has no end.
That’s how long,
I will be your friend.

True friendship doesn’t need constant attention and tending…but it does need and deserves some of your undivided attention. Show your friends you see them, you hear them, you appreciate them, and you love them. In other words…be present in their lives. You never know…it could be just the thing they need to know in a moment when dark clouds are looming. Your time and attention may be the light to guide them through.

I suppose I could have counted to make sure there were actually 52 Mondays in 2018. Since we began on a Monday, there could well be 53, but who’s counting?

I am.

This year has mountains of possibility, and an equal share of obstacles. I’m still working on the realignment, but I’m keeping up…so far. I know what I’m doing is good for me, and in the interest of preventing a repeat, but man is it overwhelming too. I know the gym, and the cursed treadmill, are for the good. I do. I also know that I’m full of plans before I go, and exhausted afterward, making my progress on the things I NEED to work on writer-wise exceedingly frustrating. It’s a lot like running in Jell-O…messy and lacking yardage. (No, I’m not going to elaborate on experience to justify the comparison. Just take my word for it) 🙂

I will persevere though. I will. Quit has never really been in my vocabulary. I’m not willing to give it page-space now. Essentially, the sum of the parts right now is I’m pushing, while trying not to push myself beyond the threshold of what I should, and spending way more time than I’m used to on the tasks that up to now have been thoughtless to get through. Now, I plan more, and I was a planner before…each day, each activity, leaving room to allow myself to fall short of where I want to be. It’s aggravating to know that a month or two ago, I wouldn’t have thought twice, I’d have pushed through to the end, no matter the hours or insanity…which is how I got where I landed. I’m learning…and soon enough, I will again be where I can push to the end, without pushing beyond myself.

I will.

This isn’t NYNE whiner edition though…I’m not going to do that. This was my update on the path to success, and the last one of its kind, I hope. Barring a major curve…I am putting my head down and charging. The Rhino in me is restless.

As promised, it’s still January, which means you get to see another cover. This week is the re-mastered cover for The Custos Book 3 – Book of Mysteries. I’m in mad love with the changes. The original cover, while striking, felt too clean and polished for the set. Like it needed to have that same shadow feel to fit in with the others…and now, it does. See for yourself.

Original.

Reworked.

The images are still the same, but the twilight feel to the cemetery and Ramsby (Cover model Eric Jacob) on the cover waiting and watching for anything is more to the vision of it I had when that part of the story was written, and the overall series of light vs. dark and what lies between. I am so pleased with the revision and the effect.

In other news, Amazon finally acquiesced and price matched. Book of Time – The Custos book 1 is now permafree & on all channels, the big four and probably a few others you haven’t heard of. Book of Revelations, book 4 in the series, ((and possibly Book of Prophesy, book 5 & the last,)) will be out this year. If you haven’t started the journey, why not? Now is a great time as the first novella that introduces you to the world of White Diamond & The Custos…is FREE. Take it for a spin on your favorite E-reader. (Then of course, tell me what you think. It’s a bumpy introduction, but the two worlds that are colliding kind of are too.)

Next week I’ll be sharing another cover or two…from an upcoming set, or my solo work from a set…who knows what it will be – there are a lot to choose from, so stay tuned or check back for the next reveal on the 29th.

Have a great week. Read something amazing. And, as always, tell your friends.

Sav

In case you missed the others being shown in their updated statuses, here are the three Custos series books together. 🙂

This past week has the been full of set-backs, testing what little patience I have. My day job has been more trying than ever. Working on a Telemetry floor in a busy hospital is fast-paced to start off with. Add in the flu epidemic that’s raging across the company and we’ve found ourselves slammed with patients filling every room, with more waiting to get in. I’ve never looked so forward to having five days off to myself.

My sister recently had a hip replacement. Life throws in a curve ball, and I find myself at the Emergency room, then packing clothes to spend the next day and night with her. Of course, I packed my lap top, determined to continue working on edits. Needless to say, not much of that was accomplished. Such is life. It tends to undermine the best of intentions.

We all get set in our ways, set to a certain routine. I’m no different. I prefer working on my desktop computer. I do own a laptop, but I haven’t used it enough to be truly comfortable with it. Sitting for hours going through a manuscript, searching for errors is tedious. Doing it while in a different setting, on different equipment is distracting, at best. I am working, just not getting a lot accomplished. For someone like me, who adheres to schedules, it’s frustrating.

It will get done. I’m bound and determined to see that A Destiny Denied is the best it can be, and released on time. Then, I can move forward to my other projects. For now, I’m taking deep breaths and focusing on what’s in front of me. One step at a time . . .

I think making plans is along the same lines of juggling. It’s all good and great until something or someone throws a monkey wrench at you and all the balls go flying every which way.

As you know, or maybe you don’t, I’ve been working of a fairytale re-telling story for a box set. Next on the agenda was a story that was sort of kind of plotted out with Savannah 3 years ago, but Celine, Daria’s cousin from the Veil series, has decided she needs and wants her story told. And truth be told, I’ve had some readers asking for her story too, which may be why Celine woke up and said, “Hey!” Anyway…I appeased her by starting chapter 1 of her yet to be titled book. Here’s a looksy of the totally unedited and subject to change first paragraph:

The year is flying. It’s only the 15th and this is already the 3rd part in the NYNE posts. GOSH!

I was going to post over the weekend and have it pop up this morning, but life happens. An electrical fire at the daughter’s apartment had us doing rewiring work, sure…the apartment people should…but since they are already upping her rent 1 month in, and we have the ability and pieces…why give them cause to raise it further? It didn’t take long…just details. A lot like writing work is…details: They make or break the job being done.

Then there was the ongoing writing work that I’m not happy with and trying to wrap since the first of several deadlines is approaching. Those pesky things will sneak up and bop you on the head if you don’t keep at it…so, I’m keeping at it. I did a re-read of the other part of one story, to make sure I have the nuances and details straight in my head. It’s been awhile since I wrote or reviewed the first part, so again, DETAILS…they matter.

Next up is a not so new thing. A year ago I got a promotion. I became the compliance chairman for my state, which has a lot of responsibilities for managing federal reporting for a number of locations. This position was supposed to rotate to someone new for this year, but as things go, that person is no longer available, and thus I am likely retaining the job. Which translates to some two-step shuffle to my signing schedule if I can’t finesse the details early. I’m hopeful, even as the realist in me knows what is probably going to happen. 😦

All this as I’m waiting to hear on another promotion that will translate to a cross-country move. Until there is more to know, it’s a waiting game…one my recent personal challenges are making difficult to remain calm for. An answer, either way, would be good in the short course instead of the long, but we all know how that works…or doesn’t when you’re waiting. Watched pot & alla that.

So…I have lots of things in transition, and more that haven’t entered the fray of my crazy yet. I have managed to finally get the added bits into something of a routine, though they effectively manage to throw my regularly scheduled writing work for a loop several times a week. I’m still morphing. I’ll get there…hopefully before I crash & burn.

Last…as promised….here’s the next Custos Series updated cover. Book of Change, book 2, got the logo like book one, and a minor tweak to make the cover image fit the scene from the book more precisely. I’m tickled. Can you spot it?

The Book of Mysteries updated cover will be revealed next week and I hope you love it as much as I do. It feels more like it belongs with the first two and I cannot wait to see what books 4 & 5 look like, now that we have the logo and a clear sense of where the series is headed before it wraps up.

Enjoy the week. I for one will be indoors mostly I think. The snow has been falling all day and the roads are a map of ice-covered thoroughfares. Not good for prolonged travel, so I’m not. If I don’t have to be out, I won’t be…but maybe that means I’ll get ahead, or at least back on track in my word-work. It could happen.

This week’s blog finds me still working on the edits of A Destiny Denied. Odds are, I’ll be here a while. As I tweak and polish I realize that, while not the most glamorous part of ‘writing a novel,’ it’s definitely one of the more important aspects.

Personally, I cringe when I read a book that’s full of errors. How did they miss that? Did no one edit this? Truth be known, it’s almost impossible to catch all the mistakes before a book is published. My own books are guilty of these oversights, as well. Though, I am happy to say, the lapses are less with each book.

So, I will painstakingly go through each page searching for and correcting errors, missed punctuation, and overused words. Hopefully, once I’m done, I’ll have a story I’m proud to share with all of you.

In the meantime, I’d like to share the cover for A Destiny Denied with you. Victoria Miller has once again done an incredible job on covers for my Kindred series.

It’s that time of year. What time is that you ask? It’s that time to take inventory of what I’ll need for book signings. Rack cards, magnets, postcards, free with purchase swag, book marks…do I want to purchase pens? The list can go on and on.

Initially, I was going to attend 3 signings this year. Unfortunately, I had to pull out of one due to a family obligation. I will be at Writers on the River in Peoria, IL and at Penned Con in St. Louis.

Writers on the River is on July 21. 2018. It is a charity even and proceeds go to two wonderful charities, Love Heals Thistle Farms and The Center for Prevention of Abuse.
Take a look at all the authors that will be attending this event…but keep in mind, life has a way of getting in the way, and this list is subject to change because of it. Click on the link to read up on the attending authors and find out a little more about the charities.
https://writersontheriver.weebly.com/

The other event I will attend, Penned Con is September 20-22. Proceeds from this event benefit, Action for Autism. Two Ballrooms of Authors waiting and wanting to talk books with you. Two days to purchase and get your books signed, and parties for authors and readers to mingle outside of the signing rooms. Click on the link to check out the list of authors and to learn a little more about Action for Autism.
https://pennedcon.com/

As far as books I will have at these events goes…I will, of course, have Beyond the Veil of Whispered Dreams and The Veiled Path to Destiny available for purchase.

The fairytale short story I’m writing will still be a part of the e-book boxset that will be released in May. That being said, the pre-order links (the Amazon link not available yet) for Once Upon a Twisted Time are up, if you’d like to pre-order your copy.

Are you ready to dive into a world of *brand new & exclusive* fairy tales where your beloved stories are retold with a twist?
In this collection, new thrills are woven into the fables we know, both classic and modern. Uncover unexpected changes to old treasures, and fall in love with new adventures to explore.

From Cinderella to Rumpelstiltskin, The Mad Hatter to 12 Dancing Princesses, come find your unique favorites as these authors unleash diverse experiences of magical creatures in their wicked contemporary and paranormal romance worlds.

2018 is going to be full of changes for me, as previously mentioned. Some of it I’m planning and some things will happen as they happen. 🙂

One new thing is that my titles are going wide. It’s a HUGE learning curve for me and I have no real idea what I’m doing, but I’m going to learn as I go and hopefully, like with other things, be better for the adventure. With this, one thing that needed to happen was to get The Custos series covers adjusted so it is easier to know which one comes next. For the next couple weeks, I’ll reveal each of them in turn.

This week is Book of Time, which isn’t much different, just has the series logo identifier added…but, by Mysteries I’m excited to share the new wash over with you. I feel like the cover finally goes with the others better. I hope you’ll agree.

Once we get these shared, I’ll start sharing the new stuff. I’m doing my last 2 boxsets this spring and can’t wait to share them with you. One, coming in March is going to be a fun PNR set called Magic Rising. That set has a single cover that I hope you’ll enjoy.

After that is Once Upon a Twisted Time…a collection of re-imagined fairy tales that you know, with twists you might not see coming. My contribution is based on The Twelve Dancing Princesses and is called Twelve. I’ll reveal my individual cover soon, but here’s the overall for you to gaze upon.

Next on the crazy train of ’18 for me is a regrowth of my street team, The Zapatistas. This group is who gets to see new covers first, helps with promotion of my work and shares back with me sites, events, and other places where my work would be a good fit, but hasn’t been found yet. Do you have a few minutes each week to share my work and get the 411 early?

If you’re interested in joining my Street Team and getting the sneak peeks at what’s coming before everyone else…you can do so HERE. We’d love to add you to the group. My VPA Jennifer runs the group and keeps everything tracking, so there’s no inventing the wheel going on…just sharing and sharing.

More New Year – New Everything to come in the weeks ahead. Thanks for sticking around for the journey. Til next time, read something great & share with your friends!